RISING & FALLING FOR 2010 NHL DRAFT

RISING

Mathieu Corbeil-Theriault, G — Halifax MooseheadsHeight: 6.05.7 Weight: 186Corbeil has had four outstanding games in a row for the last-place Halifax Mooseheads, three have been wins where he was named the first star of the game. Seems to be turning corner; positioning is better, battling, better rebound control, and flashing a quick glove.

Sawyer Hannay, RD — Halifax MooseheadsHeight: 6.04 Weight: 190Tough and respected. Word is already circulating that there is a new heavyweight champ in the QMJHL after young Hannay went toe-to-toe with Ashton Bernard in Cape Breton. Not afraid of anybody. Team-first guy. Teammates love him. Any NHL team selecting after the fifth or sixth round looking for character will find it in aces with this kid.

Steven Shipley, C — Owen SoundHeight: 6’02” Weight: 204There is a great deal of pressure on this young man to carry this team. During a recent road trip, Owen Sound was without Joey Hishon and struggled. Shipley has all the skills to be a premier player in the OHL and a top prospect for the 2010 NHL draft. He skates well, has good vision and drives to the net.

Troy Rutkowski, RD – – Portland WinterhawksHeight: 6’01.5” Weight: 208The mobile and offensive minded Rutkowski has started off the year on fire and it has definitely fueled Portland’s revival in the WHL’s U.S. division. It is no coincidence that both Rutkowski and teammate Brad Ross appear on the rising report as the Winterhawks are loaded with young talent that is meshing very well and is primed to take the team even higher in the standings.

Brad Ross, LW –- Portland WinterhawksHeight: 5’11.3” Weight: 181Ross finally has the insulation he needs to show off his rugged, board-dominating style. The Winterhawks retooled and drafted some strong talent, which has allowed the aggressive Ross to play the style of game he likes the most — rough. A good physical presence, Ross can also score and create space with the puck. His development as a power forward is coming along nicely and ISS fully expects him to further progress into a top-tier prospect.

Brock Nelson, C – – Warroad HSHeight: 6’02.5” Weight: 205Nelson has all-around high-end skills. Has good vision and puck decision skills when pressured. Knows when to pass and when to eat the puck in critical areas and can make solid passes to open areas to guys moving. Will be a very highly-regarded player as the year moves on. He gets better every time we see him play.

Christian Thomas, RW – Oshawa GeneralsHeight: 5.09 Weight: 162Despite his small size, he is able to get things done. He has the work ethic that his father did. He competes very hard, is aggressive and gets in on the forecheck. He also has the ability to find the seams in the offensive zone and create scoring.

Devante Smith-Pelly, RW — MississaugaHeight: 5.11.5 Weight: 214Quickly becoming a fan favorite. Has seen his stock rise with tremendous offensive start, leading the Majors in scoring with 23 pts in 20 games. He skates very well and his speed allows him an opportunity to get in deep on the forecheck. He competes very hard and takes care of his defensive responsibilities.

Antonin Honejsek, LW — Moose JawHeight: 6’0” Weight: 180Moose Jaw’s early success this year can be attributed to having secondary scoring options such as Honejsek, who is a mainstay on the half boards on their second power-play unit so far this year. There is a lot of potential for Honejsek to explode offensively, so keep on eye, his stock mayfluctuate as the season goes on.

FALLING

Jordan Escott, LW — PEI RocketHeight: 6.0 Weight: 168Escott seems disinterested at times during the game. He can sometimes be out of position due to lack of effort. Could implicate himself more physically. He needs a lot more desperation, grit and speed in his game if he ever wants to think about going pro.

JT Barnett, LW – Vancouver GiantsHeight: 5’11.7” Weight: 191Barnett could be rising or falling depending on what you may or may not already know about him. For ISS he is falling as he has received quite a bit of hype and has yet to live up to his hype. The 17-year-old son of former Coyotes GM Mike Barnett has put up a solid 20 pointts in 22 games for the Giants and could easily find his name back on the rising side of this report and on NHL draft lists if he can keep up the pace.

Taylor Vause, C – Swift Current BroncosHeight: 5’09” Weight: 173Expectations were high for Vause this year after a strong end of the season and playoffs last year, but he has not been able to live up to the billing. The small energetic forward was expected to bring some defensive stability and secondary scoring for the Broncos, but so far failed to deliver this season, putting up only 10 points in his first 21 games with a plus/minus rating of -8.